Automatic railroad-switch.



C. E. FORS & F. W. LILYARD.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. 1914 1,121, 20, Patented Dec. 22. 1914.

mfnesses THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTOLITHO WASHINGTON, D

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

CARL E. FORS AND FLOYD W. LILYARD, OF BUBNSIDE, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914..

Application filed March 7, 1914. Serial No. 823,576.

FL-0Y1) W. LILYARD, citizens of the United States, and residents ofBurnside, in the county of Webster and State of Iowa, have invented acertain new and useful Automatic Railroad-Switch, of which the followingis a specification.

lhe object of our invention is to provide an automatic railroad switchof simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

More particularly it is our object to provide a railroad switch adaptedto be automatically operated by approaching trains, and provided withsimple means whereby the switch is held in either of its set positionsso that it cannot be thrown without the exercise of considerable force.

Our invention consists in certain details, in the construction,combination and ar rangement of the various parts of the device,wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fullyset forth,

pointed out in our claims,and illustratedin the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure l'shows a top or plan view of a portion of the main line andswitch track of a railroad track, equipped with an automatic switchmechanism, embodying our invention. Fig. 2 shows'a side elevation of theoperating arm mounted on ties which are shown in section. Fig. 3 shows atop or plan view of said operating arm. Fig. 4 shows a horizontal,sectional view through the pressure device, whereby our switch is heldin either of its set positions. Fig. 5 shows a front elevation of one ofthe guide pulleys and tracks therefor, and Fig. 6 shows a top or planview of a bar for opoperating the movable rail members and the partsimmediately connected with said bar. In the accompanying drawings, wehave used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the rails of a mainrailroad track, and the numeral 11 to indicate the rails of the switchor side track. The rails 10 and 11 rest upon the usual ties. One railmember of the main track and one rail member of the switch track,indicated respectively by the numerals 10" and 11 are movable to be adjusted in the ordinary way for carrying a train from either of thetracks to the other.

Mounted between the free ends of the movable track members 11 and 10 isa plate 13. Pivoted to the plate 13, on each side thereof, are T shapedlevers 14 and 15, havswitch and main tracks.

ing the laterally extending arms A arranged at right angles to the railsof the switch track and the laterally extending arms B,

arranged at right angles to the main track,

and having the stems C and D respectively arranged parallel with therails of the The members C and D are pivoted to a transverse bar 16 bymeans of a bolt 17 mounted in said bar and also mounted in elongatedslots 18 in said stems. Secured to the ends of the later ally extendingarms 15 are suitable devices 19 and 20 which may be chains, wires or thelike, which extend along the main track between the rails, as shown inFig. 1.

Suitably mounted on the ties of the main track at points spaced apartfrom the plate 13 a suitable distance, are brackets 21 centrally pivotedto which are bell crank levers having curved arms 22 and straight arms22 The .arm 22 of one bell crank lever is secured to the member 20 andthe arm 22 of the other bell crank lever is secured to the member 19, asshown in Fig. 2. The

arm 22 of each bell crank lever extends up Wardly and towardthe switchmember 13 and is curved downwardly at the free end, as shown in Fig. 2.

Secured to the free ends of the laterally extendingarms 14 are devices23 and 24 and 21 similar to the devices 19 and 20 which are extendedalong the switch track and main track respectively, as shown in Fig. 1,traveling over guide pulleys 25, suitably mounted on the ties, tosimilar devices 22*, to which they are connected in the mannerhereinbefore set forth.

It will be understood that the members 22 may be operated by a trainmoving in either direction so that, for instance, a train moving fromthe main track on to the switch track could, by engaging the member 22connected with the member 24, close the switch after'itself so thatanother train coming along on the main track would not be required toslow down to throw the switch.

Our improved switch device is designed to be used in combination withsuitable engaging means mounted on the engine or car, whereby the arms22 are engaged and depressed. It should be mentioned that the arms 22 onthe main track are arranged at different distances from the respectiverails and that the arms 22 of the switch track are 1} arranged atdifferent distances from the respective rails thereof. Each car orengine Q 25 1 nected with "the mernbena2 is designed to beeq iipped twoengag 'ing devices 'so smii eethat the me r be lowered or'raised forengaging the a ln is or not as desired. 5 .W l ..-r 1ilY-b preaching thes seen t a if tljei l i at? on the stems 39, between the bell cranks andthe wall' of-the 'cylinder=,- are coil springs 40. In each end of thecylinder 27 is an inwardly op'enirig spring controlled valve, as

gaging device is lowered to engage the arm 22,=. connectedi with ithe)member 519,. :the T- .sh-epeddevi'ce w'ill'ano've thebar 1.6form-novingthe. movable :rail "members: .zi'ndthrowing the switchtopositi'on; :forcausing; the 1 train to travel "straight: ahead .on the gnains track. -0n the other hahdpifthe engmgingdeyicezon 5 th'e'engine isiloweredsto 'engegeirthe smemfiber. 22, connected with the .1 member(20, the switch will be t.urned idr fithi own-toacarny the train tostheswitch 'or side-track, 'Afteii the train has. pasedr-the s'wit0h;--.iifit is desired r to throw 1 the switch .to: .properipositiorr ito permitthe next. train to apesf sdveritheimti'n tr'ack Without .ln'ovingath'ez'switch i itheufirst train may, aifter 5 pass-i'figethe switch,throw v the switch by E meei'ns :05 the nipl defvriee con- LYH 0I1' thesWitoh -ac -Lapriroachirig vthe meinz trzi'ck doesindtmeedsto throw etheswi'tch' i' f it is in :the; positiorivshowniini 13 1f .-it':is "riotinetliat position, .the' device :.22-on "the sWitchtrecleimayibeistriuck-hy, the

engaging device ?on-.- the ztrei'n-ge'ndsthelswitchsthirowntoithe;p'ositibneshfiwnso Elgs- -fll {5A train:- aplproachinfthestiithlftorh the; night, lies 'shbw-nzimligi 1, ,vvill ihe required{strike fithe "def'licei E22,: orilvthe :maih (track; thereby throwingthe switch froin position, shown :in :Figi 1* to iprop'ere position; forgpermitti ng the itrii-t-itbi-lrtraviel'ibn. she main-track.- =f- F0r*fi iit'nly 'liolding. the .m'ev-eblei members: ,11 and il0 i-rppositionat either limit bfitheir-movemerit, swehalve: provided..=the; following'rneahs: Mountedion v.e:Z's'i -iteb-le support at one side iof, the;travel 2,. -*t6 the :iree ends ofthe nieinberswlb? and 1191se-cyili-nder stem extended through? .one -e'nd of: said cylinder,-.-Suitably; pivoteda to a: support, near the cylinder: 27-,i1is a; lever-30, one :end f which is also pivoted "to the E'stem 29;- as

one'end and pivoted-to:.;the lever 30 between its ends is arod,31t,'.on-w-hich 'arefimounted SC in. 36 and 35: extend: intothe'parth. Of-lthe .stops 7 'shown in Fig. 4:, which may or may not beth" the "1h "tr'ack ei'riployed,as desired. hen usedytlielast describedvalve simply offers further means for admitting air to the respectiveends of the cylinder when a v a,cuum. is created'there' The otherarms ofthe bell; crank levers 32 0n the rod 31in isuch mannerg that theQ D-;.eration.. of the. valves: is es follows When -;toiw-ard the portiono-fthe, cylinderzflf nearest the track. Assnminggthetathertrainlapproachesionrthe sW-itchi-tPacl end Strikesthe device 22,thereby:-,-:mivi;ng the? rod; 16, longithe track, oomp-resingithe paininEt'he u pier the rod. 16 is atthelimitoi-its movement .as

't i ngthof; the-spring 4Q JE-he: springs .49,

however,-.are ofiis'ufiiciierr strength-rte. hol

"the val vesisee ted. MEhe spo-rtion :Of the r move 'nent' Ofit'he nod3.1;-.howeveii;caiisesithe :stop 132 to; engafge th eebell crank-" 36;thereby unseeting.--the flisllve' :38 and permittingethe s-eir; toescape fi omzthedippeepart of the cylinder. Theneifter- -n0 aordina'ry.:pressure I will be sufficient; to throw the isvv-itch beck to itsoriginailtibosition' on accountoft-he fact that it is necessary, in:ordertoso throw On ticcount ofitheiactithat power enough ;to effectsuch; compression is necessary to switch is instantly -locked-isineither of its set positions {means of its cylinder and .parts connectedtherewith. The advantage '55' mounted nesr-xeherends oil-the cylinder.

of a device of this-kindlies'particulariyin a-pressurezlocl-risprovidedswitchis. held Whenthrown t0- on end cannot bethrown to the other position without the exercise of strong pressure.The switch is thereby saved from danger, that might occur throughtheacts of meddlers, trampsend soon.

The partsof ourdezice are of simple and inexpensive construction and bereadily and es.

- 'inay bemede in "the details irept in repair. be understoodtha somechanges the construc tion of our-device Without departing from itsessential features, and it is our intent to cover by this applicationany such changes which may be included within the scope of the followingclaims:

lVe claim as our invention:

1. In a device of the class described, means for moving the movablerails of a railroad switch, means whereby said moving means may beoperated from points on the track spaced apart from said switch, acylinder adjacent to said switch, a piston slidably mounted therein, andmeans for connecting said piston with movable rail members, said pistonbeing provided with in- \vardly opening valves near its ends, and

means operated by said piston operating means for unseating one of saidvalves simultaneously with the latter part of the movement of themovable rail members in either direction.

2. In a device of the class described, a bar designed to be secured tothe movable rails at a railroad switch, a cylinder a piston mountedtherein, means for operatively connecting said bar with said piston,said cylinder being provided with openings near its ends to form valveseats, inwardly opening valves mounted in said openings, yielding meansfor holding the valves seated, and means operated by said first meansfor opening the valve in the compression end of the cylinder at thefinish of the movement of said bar in either direction.

Des Moines, Iowa, February 13, 1914.

CARL FORS. FLOYD w. LILYARD.

\Vitnesses O. T. ENGQUIST, M. WALLACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

